The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-07-07
STARING AT CLEVELAND.
One Thing of Which the washIngtonisns
Nerer Seem To Tire.

SIAhlNS Al CIEVElaND.
One Thing of Which the. washIngtonIsns
Never Seem 20 Tire.
dents carriage, even in Washington.
where it is seen almost every day, and
has been for so long common sight,
is still an object of curiosity. Let it
drive down the avenue and every head
is turned. Let it stand in front of
some swell establishment on the ave-
nue. and a crowd gathers Immediately.
Let it whirl around the corner and
draw up in front of the church where
the President attends regularly. and it
finds crowd there waiting to get a
look at the President and his wife. Let
them take to the road and plunge into
the las rinth of roads, and woods, and
hills and valleys that surround Wash
ingtOn, and yet they find themselves
still the object of constant interest. So
long as they are in sight of any body
they are the subject of attention. AL
bert" big. black, honest, well-fed
driver who sits on the box and has sat
there ever since Grants arrival at the
White House, eighteen years ago, is
known to every body. The seal browns
are not much less noted and recognized.
So the average observer recognizes the
turnout even before he sees the Presi-
dent and his wife. But this fact does
not lessen his chances of seeing them.
On the contrary, he merely takes the
appearance of Albert and the seal
browns as a notice to brace up and
and prepare to take good look at the
President and his wife as they come
along. Formerly it was source of no
at, for stared" is the word in every
case. but they have become ac-
customed to it, and no longer
permit it to worry them. The
persistency with which this star
ing process is INDUCED in by every
body, irrespective of rank, color or
previous condition of good breeding, is
something wonderful. On the road
every head is turned and every neck
craned when the Presidents team
comes in sight. As it passes, the occu-
pants OF the carriage are targets for
every pair of eyes. After it passes
heads ale turned and necks are twisted
to danger of dislocatiOn for the priv
ilege of seeing Mrs. Cleveland's back
hair or the Presidents white f1aring
collar which threatens his ears from
behind. The President not long ago,
in riding out with friend, called at
tention to this as one of the embarrass-
ments of the position.
Every body does it." he said; mo
matter who it is. it is just the same.
You can see them fixing for it as they
come along the road. The moment
they see the driver and team they begin
to settle themselves to a good look as
they pass by"
The President does not begrudge the
people this privilege. No matter how
annoying it may be to him, he recOg-
nizes the interest the average man or
woman has in seeing a live President.
So he quietly submits to. be stared at
and to have his hand shaken by thou
sands and thousands of people whom
he never heard of and will never hear
of again.
There are plenty of horses in the
Presidents stables, but the "seal
browns" are the favorites About nine
times out of ten that he is out, it is be-
hind them. Albert, the black, honest
faced fellow, who came here with Grant,
and has driven for every President
since that time, always drives. The
President has variety of carriages
Victoria, a coupe and landau.
Sometimes the Victoria is used, for that
Is really the most popular carriage on
the road now, but generally the landau,
with the top down. The President,
who wears a black Prince Albert coat
and Il white hat, leans we'll back in the
carriage with the air of tired man
seeking rest. Mrs. Cleveland, who sits
beside him, usually wears pretty gray
road suit and carries black and white !
striped parasOl. She sits more erect
than the President, and notes every
thing that goes on about her with muck
interest. Washington Letter.